Medicinal opioids are used for treating moderate to severe pain, but may exhibit addictive properties. Due to the mechanism by which medicinal opioids relieve pain, these medications are among the most effective painkillers in modern medicine. Additionally, however, medicinal opioids are also widely abused. In addressing the use of medicinal opioids, policy makers are tasked with balancing the under-treatment of pain, while mitigating the risk for opioid abuse. Pharmacotherapies have proven effective in treating and preventing opioid addiction but the high cost of these therapeutics is a limiting factor in the scope and reach of treatment programs.